What is a Realtor? And why should you use one?

Only real estate professionals who are members of the National Association of Realtors can call themselves Realtors. Non-Members are only Real estate agents or Sales people. There are several amazing benefits of using Realtors over a sales person.

All Realtors (members of the National Association of Realtors) are bound to a strict code of ethics. Their code is based on professionalism and protection of the public. Random real estate agents do not have to abide by these codes. If you choose to use a Realtor you can be sure that they are honest and ethical in all aspects of real estate and business. If they are not, they will not be a realtor long.

The Biggest benefit of using a Realtor over an Agent is access to the MLS, the Multiple Listing Service. This is a private service that only Realtors use to share listing with other Realtors. If you use a Realtor they put your House on the MLS and thousands of other Realtors can easily access the information and find a buyer for a house you are selling. Or Your Realtors can access other Realtors listing to find you the house that meets your criteria the best.

Some of the principals that Realtors must follow include:

Protect and promote their clients best interests. A good Realtor knows what the client’s wants and needs are. For example, a good Realtor will know what a client can afford in a home payment and will not put anyone in a home that they cannot afford or will have trouble making their mortgage payment. They will also make sure that their client has got home inspections done on their potential house to ensure they made a good buy.

Realtors should be knowledgeable and commitment in the field of real estate. It’s important to find a Realtor who really studies what is going on in the real estate industry. A good Realtor will know if the market is starting to dip, rise or is going to stay flat. How do they know this? Well Realtors are in the MLS, out looking at houses and studying the market every day. If a realtor does not somehow keep track of what they are seeing then they have failed as Realtors and as your hired gun.

I know many Realtors out there who think their only job is to sell houses. But the job of a good Realtor is to know every aspect of the real estate industry form residential, commercial, and real estate investing.

There has been great feedback from buyers and sellers in the past few years about working with Realtors. Sellers are reporting that an agent’s reputation was the most important factor in their selecting the Realtor they did. Is that true with you? I believe that working with the best Realtor in your area is important. Everyone wants to work with the best.

Home buyers and sellers both report that the biggest benefit they received from using a Realtor was help understanding the home buying/selling process. I can really see that as being a huge benefit. If you do not understand the whole process that goes into buying/selling a home it could cost you thousands and hundreds of hours.

-By: Christopher Seder

Thank You For Reading my Articles. You can read more of my work on my personal blog. http://christopherseder.com. I am your personal real estate go to guy.

You will get all your real estate questions solved from me. I specialize in helping home owners find solutions to their problems, marketing for real estate and internet marketing.

Christopher Seder

Find an experienced, trustworthy realtor and let them help you find your land, and guide you through the land buying process. A Realtor is your best friend during this process and will walk you through it from beginning to end. They will help you avoid many of the pitfalls and problems that arise when buying land.

The Realtor Is Free!

The realtor is paid a commission from the sale of the property. The commission is paid by the seller so you use a realtor for free. You don’t have to use the realtor who listed and advertises the property. Choose the realtor you want, the payment will be worked out between the two realtors, and you will have the realtors services for free.

The Realtor Will Help You Find The Right Property

A realtor has access to the local MLS (Multiple Listing Service) which lists all the property for sale by realtors in the area. Using the MLS the realtor can find properties that meet your criteria and take you to those properties. Many MLS’s are now listed on Realtor.com, where anyone can view them, but the realtor is an expert at using this information to find the land you are looking for.

The Realtor Will Do the Work For You

The Realtor will do most of the work involved in finding and purchasing property. A real estate purchase transaction is a complicated procedure which involves many details as well as many people. In most cases the transaction will be easier and much smoother if a realtor is involved in the process.

The Realtor Will Help You Pay A Fair Price For Land

One problem for buyers is paying too much for land. It is difficult to know what the land is really worth. Because realtors deal with many parcels of land they know approximately what a specific parcel of land is worth.

In my line of work I have observed those who use a realtor usually buy land at a fair price. Keep in mind the realtor who listed a parcel of land has an obligation to sell for the highest price since they represent the seller.

The Realtor Will Show You The Property

The realtor knows the local area and will help you find the land you are looking for. Looking for land may involve driving down back roads without directions or street signs. The realtor will take you to the properties you want to look at, and the areas you want to look in.

Often a piece of land does not have an address or directions. Sometimes you will need to read legal descriptions and topographical maps. The realtor has experience in reading these and can take you right to the property, and show you the property boundaries.

The Realtor Will Help You Avoid Many Problems

Using a realtor will help you avoid many of the problems experienced by land buyers. Many of these problems don’t arise until after the purchase. There are many possible problems, too many to mention, but include such things as: road issues, water rights, mineral rights, etc. Save yourself from many problems and use an experienced, trustworthy realtor.

-By: Deron Wilkerson

Deron Wilkerson is a licensed Title and Escrow Office in Utah. He has owned and operated a title company since 1991, handling over 15,000 land transactions.

Visit Deron Wilkerson at www.LandProfessor.com for more information, tips and help on buying land.

Subscribe to the LandProfessor Newsletter at www.LandProfessor.com/newsletter, filled with more information for land buyers.

Allison was looking to buy a condo. She found one that she really wanted. The seller would provide owner financing. He said she could get the best deal if she did not use a real estate agent. Allison really wanted it and they signed a contract. She completed the down payment, and closed on the condo. Everything was going well. But about 2 years later she was notified of a lay off from her job. Allison immediately made the seller aware of the situation. Then was absolutely shocked when he said she could lose the condo to him once her payments reached 30 days behind. What Allison did not realize is that the contract she signed to purchase the condo was a land contract which does not transfer legal title to her until the full sale price amount is paid.

Marc and June were looking for a bigger and saw one June really wanted. However they need to sell their current home first. They made a decision to not use a realtor. After 3 months their house was still up for sale with no offers. The totals of the cost from newspaper ads, and keeping the house up on a very popular home website was really starting to add up. Also adding to this, they were taking a hit in their pay every time one of them had to leave work, to show the home. Then the house June wanted was sold. That really discouraged her. She did not want to keep trying to sell, and would cut the lost. They took the house off everything. They may try to sell again later.

Scenarios like these happen all the time each year in the U.S. These stories are the reason for this article. The objective of this information is to give an overview of the many advantages and benefits of using a real estate professional when buying, or selling a home.

Right from the start… it would be dishonest if we did not say that lots of people do successfully buy a home, or sell their home without a real estate agent. However the statistics are pretty clear that the overwhelming majority are not successful. Added to this, feedback statistics indicate people really regret not being represented by a realtor.

In the case of Allison… the bottom line is any brand new agent, just out of real estate school, would have immediately seen this was a land contract. There is nothing illegal about it, and it gives the buyer all of the rights of ownership except the most important one which is legal title. And a realtor would have quickly notice the extremely severe late payment penalty. Any agent would have cautioned Allison, of not begged Allison, to really think about whether or not this would be a good deal for her.

In Marc and June’s case… They would not have spent a cent on advertising. They would not have needed to take time away from work. They would not have to deal with showing the home. And though no one can make absolute guarantees, they would have had a way better chance of quickly selling their home. They would have gotten that house June wanted.

Selling, or buying, a house is an extremely big money investment. It is ranked as one of the biggest events in life. The experience, knowledge, and expertise of a real estate agent are a valuable asset.

FOR HOME BUYERS: A significant reason why many avoid realtors is that most sales related jobs have negative stereotypes. From car salesmen, to insurance sales, to the lady behind the fragrance counter in a department store. Many sales men

The debate continues. Should you hire a Realtor to sell your home, or just do it yourself? Like a tireless pendulum, opinions on the debate can go back and forth. Many assume they can actually save money, time, and numerous frustrations by playing real estate agent. In some rare cases this may be true. Often, however, these individuals actually lose a large sum of capital, spend uncounted hours of precious time trying to make a sale (to no avail), and heap frustrating irritation upon themselves throughout the process. If you are planning on selling your home and aren’t sure if you want to hire a Realtor or just do it all yourself, you might want to consider the following points before making a decision.

1. A Realtor will save your precious time.

Trying to sell a house can take a lot of time. If you are like 99.9% of the employed American population, then you don’t have much to spare. Consider the various duties which, if you decide to be your own Realtor, will immediately be on your plate: studying the market, writing advertisements, answering a barrage of phone calls (many of which are not seriously interested in buying), meeting with potential buyers, researching and answering their questions, filling out mountains of paperwork, etc. All this must be done in your after-work hours. Just as much as you have a specific trade which you are time-efficient in, so does a Realtor. It may be wise to do your job, and let a Realtor do his/hers.

2. A Realtor will protect you from unneeded stress.

Trying to sell a home can be a headache, even for a seasoned Realtor. How much more so would it be for someone not used to the wearing a sale’s mentality or a carrying Realtor’s responsibilities. You may save a few grey hairs throughout the sales process by hiring a Realtor.

3. A Realtor may in fact make the sale more lucrative for you.

Okay, so a Realtor gets paid a commission from the final price of your home. You can sell the same house for the same price–you think–without shelling out the Realtor’s commission. How can using a Realtor be more lucrative?

The truth is, a good Realtor is going to sell your home–as a general rule–much quicker than you would on your own. Often, people actually save a hefty sum of money they would have spent on mortgage payments by using a real estate agent.

Also, a Realtor thinks in terms of “what a house will sell for” rather than “what the house is worth.” He or she knows the housing market. They know how to price the home. For example, your home may be appraised at $135,000. However, due to a number of various factors (good school system, nice neighborhood, less than thirty minutes from major shopping area, etc.) the Realtor may be inclined to price your house at $145,000. And it still sells in less time than you would have if you had overseen the process.

4. A Realtor knows the rules of the game.

If there is one thing more certain than death and taxes, it is that selling a home guarantees a towering mound of paperwork, various laws, and a vast array of regulations. A proficient real estate agent is well-versed in all of the above. If you use a Realtor, you won’t have to use up precious time trying to make sense of it all. And he or she just might save you from making a pricy mistake you would have made on your own simply because you didn’t know all the rules involved.

5. A Realtor is a professional salesperson.

Trying to convince someone else to purchase a product can be difficult. If the product sells for a hundred thousand dollars or more, it seems almost impossible. Good sales skills are essential to such selling success. Communication, people skills, integrity, and persuasiveness are traits which abound in realtors. In most cases, they can more convincingly describe a home than the home’s owner.

6. Realtors have a number of home-selling tools at their disposal.

The right tool for the job, goes the saying. Real estate agents have access to a number of essential resources. For starters, they are always working with a handful of people who are specifically looking for a home to buy. One of your realtor’s clients may be looking for a home just like yours. Real estate agents also rub shoulders with other Realtors. These other Realtors may have that perfect home buyer as well. Lastly, Realtors have access to a lot of real estate databases (a number of which are subscription based). They can post your house on these databases which will be viewed by thousands of Realtors from around the nation, all representing people actively looking to buy a home.

7. Realtors want to sell your home.

Some may think real estate agents aren’t as zealous about selling your home as you are. In most cases, this simply is not true. Consider this. A Realtor makes money by selling a house. This is how he or she makes a living. A good real estate agent will bend over backwards to please a client. This is simply a good business practice. And it will bring more business to them.

Professional Realtor or yourself? The debate may continue forever. But considering the previous seven points may make all the difference in deciding which works for you.

-By: Nancy DeRoux

Nancy DeRoux currently manages her Austin Real Estate Guide, an Austin Real Estate company?s website,

Global warming.

The War on “Terror.”

Oil prices.

Factors like these could slow even the most robust economy, but the association that facilitates the vast majority of real estate transactions in this country may be the most overlooked factor of all. The signs that are lingering longer on the landscapes of America have one thing in common…85 percent of the time…they are all listed by Realtors. These signs give evidence of a need for massive real estate reformation…REFORM needs to be the new sign of the times.

The U.S. Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint against the National Association of Realtors (NAR) for policies that call to question the Realtor’s ability to do their job effectively. Despite the possible link to our current real estate “situation” this important lawsuit has gone largely unnoticed by the American public and media.

The complaint lists eight pages of anti-trust and anti-competitive violations by the NAR. This is a huge leap forward for an administration that has otherwise been very ’supportive’ to massive corporations.

If the federal government actually does force the NAR to reform itself, it would be possible for it to transform itself into a New Association of Realtors. This restructured entity would have the power to offer real hope to the approaching real estate market crisis, but chances are by the time the NAR admits there is a problem-and here’s the clincher-acts to solve it, much of the damage will have already been done to the market and the association.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) wields enormous power, and this can be felt in many ways that affect homeowners. Like all corporations, this “non-profit” corporation creates policies that may or may not be in the best interests of the American people they serve. The U.S. Justice Department’s complaint lays bare the facts that this corporation (which shares many qualities of a monopoly) does not seek the best interests of the American homeowner. The NAR acts upon furthering it’s own selfish interests; namely, the interests of its most powerful and wealthy members–traditional Realtor brokerages.

There are many problems with monopolies. One is the resulting poor quality, high priced and homogenous product. Also, gargantuan corporations behave without moral codes or humanitarian principles. Another feature is a corporation’s natural profit greed is dramatized when there is no competition.

The Realtor culture runs so deep that the public responds with a shrug of “it’s just another cost-of-doing-business” and “what choice do I have?” The monopoly is so entrenched that if the NAR was suddenly forced to deal fairly within the free market it inhabits, its members could actually be crushed beneath the it’s weight of unsound policy and unjustified invincibility.

While homeowners in cities across the country are wringing their hands over what they can do to sell their depreciating homes, the NAR stared back at their customers’ plight with their stubborn defense over their claim to own exclusive rights to their customers listings…much to the expense of American home and real estate owners.

A home’s listing information hasn’t historically been perceived as having value in and of itself, but the Internet has changed EVERYTHING. The information of the home is of ultimate importance to the success of receiving fair market value. The magic panacea of selling real estate, Realtor.com is responsible for more than 80% of the real estate transactions in this country. Realtor.com is the only REAL structure that holds up the association’s house of cards.

Because of the alleged, anti-trust NAR policies, homes are being shown on some Realtor’s sites, but are not available on other Realtor sites. If the information of a home is not being distributed effectively to the entire implied audience of Realtors and their clients. Realtors are in effect pulling a bait and switch on their customers. The reality is that some homes get wider distribution than others, and customers don’t really know how many Realtors feel a vested interest in their listing.

It is apparent that traditional Realtors? are more concerned with the growing downward trend on their commissions than their concern for their clients’ real estate success! They present themselves as belonging to one cohesive organization, when in fact there are multiple factions that act to withhold listing information from the other parts. Most troubling of all is that all factions withhold listings from other non-member listing search engines, which further limits homes’ visibility.

How can that possibly benefit the American homeowners?

In terms of human behavior, it is all quite understandable. As the ratios between Realtors and households dropped over the past decade, the competition between Realtors became so fierce that Realtors began viewing one another as enemies instead of united forces. The rise of individual teams within the same brokerages grew over the same time, but the more important co-operation between individuals, teams and brokerages has crumbled, and ironically, the Realtor network (based on relationships) is frozen in fractured isolation in juxtaposed close quarters.

The divisive market effect is exaggerated because of the ridiculously enormous number of Realtors in this country. There are enough Realtors to nearly fill three of the largest cities in Ohio…Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland. On average, the national ratio is one Realtor for every 76 households. (This is based on US population at 300,000,000, 2.9 people in each household, and 1,341,714 Realtors) In some areas, that ratio could be dramatically higher, like 1 in 30 households.

Real estate’s hyper-competitive market environment aggravated the need for the NAR to enact and enforce anti-competitive policies. With the growing backlog of homes, the policy effects are felt not only by the Realtors themselves, but the American homeowner. The irony is the self-serving NAR policies do immeasurable harm to the market in which the association does business.

My young daughters know to never pee in the pool where they swim. I tell them, “There’s nothing lower than a pool pee-er,” but I guess Realtors never learned that lesson.

Let’s face it, when you take the REAL out of REALTORS, you’re left with Terribly Overpriced Real-estate Salespeople. It could be argued that this monopoly is benefiting no one but the largest traditional brokerage owners and the top-producing Realtors. Unfortunately, the Realtor brand is an archaic and self-inflationary business model whose usefulness has past its expiry date.

It’s time to take down American homeowner’s barriers to free trade and let the people choose.

Is right by might where our capitalist society has devolved? Why “must we all just get along” when one side unfairly wields power upon another? Why has our government stood idly by (for years) while the monopoly and inefficiencies continued?

Why do we silently stare while those in power live by another set of rules?

We the people have the power to change this stifling real estate climate!

We cannot teach freedom to the world, if we ourselves are not FREE!

We cannot teach fairness to the world if we ourselves are not treated FAIRLY!

We must educate ourselves and know what our government (and the special interests like the NAR that sponsors it) is doing.

If you feel the NAR rules and policies are not in your best interest, try and support those who do look out for you and your interests!

Wake up America! Take a look around you, and then stand up and be counted!

Write to your congressman and tell him to:

? Finish the job the Justice Department started a year ago!

? Bring the National Association of Realtors? to the stand!

? Make sure your interests are put first!

Let us always remember that the last two syllables of American are I Can!

-By: Sherry Mann

Sherry Mann is the founder of The Liberty Voice newspaper which features fiercely independent news and commentary. After two years, we have distributed nearly a half million free newspapers in 200 business scattered over 10 states and 36 cities. Mann has also begun a new venture called A Love Basket which is a Christian magazine dedicated to inform and inspire.

Recently I read that an annual poll taken among Americans rated Realtors as one of the least respected professions in the country. For the first time in history, Realtors fell not only to the bottom of the list, but even below non-licensed, non-governed professions. Yes, we finally beat out used-car salesman as the least respected profession. Different polls have yielded different results, but this particular poll focused on ‘the trust of a professional to give good advice.’

Now, for me herein lies a particular conundrum. To start, certain significant differences exist between professions. For example, Realtors are licensed, and as such, they are governed by three governing bodies: their local board of Realtors, their state board of Realtors, and the National Association of Realtors. To be licensed, each Realtor must pass a number of significant signposts. For example, in Texas, a minimum of three college level courses must be completed to obtain a license. Of course, this only applies to college-degreed individuals: more courses are required if the candidate does not possess an accredited degree. Next, they must pass the licensing exam.

Once their license is obtained, continuing education is mandatory to retain the license, as is common in many professions, such as Accountancy, Law, etc. This requirement is strictly enforced and must include a minimum amount of real estate law. Thus Realtors stay relatively abreast of changes in real estate and law, and, in particular, nowadays, of the growing problem of mortgage fraud, which can in some instances, implicate the seller, even if the seller is ignorant of the law, they can potentially face criminal charges and substantial fines as an accomplice. (Ignorance of the law is no excuse).

A Realtor, as a seller’s agent, can usually spot the red flags related to mortgage fraud and alert their client to the possibility and possible sources of relief to avoid an undesirable outcome (like jail). In short, the Realtor is a professional, and, in some cases, can not only sell your house, but keep you out of legal troubles.

Additionally, Realtors, per the National Association of Realtors, are bound by a code of ethics, which they must agree and abide by, for if they do not, they can (and usually are) brought before a court of inquiry through their local or state boards to determine their guilt or innocence and receive appropriate disciplinary measures. In short, if a Realtor is unethical (not just operating outside the law, but operating within the law unethically), they can (and will, if found guilty) lose their license to practice.

Did you know that a real estate agent is governed by the same body of law that governs attorneys? That’s right; it’s called the Law of Agency and it varies a bit state by state, but fundamentally, it says that a Realtor is required by law to put your interests above their own. The point is this: Attorneys and Realtors are bound by the same set of laws. Yet, somehow, Attorneys rate MUCH higher in the poll.

Ever consider what it cost just to practice real estate? Between the expense of joining the local, state, and national boards, as well as the local MLS dues, showing service fees, website fees, errors

When buying a new home, chances are very good that you are going to choose a realtor to help you with your home buying needs. With many realtors out there, finding one you can trust may seem to be a daunting task. Especially if you’ve never hired a realtor before, or if you’ve ever had one whom you couldn’t trust, choosing a good realtor may be extremely difficult, if next to impossible, to accomplish. So how do you find one whom you can trust, and one who will simplify your home buying experience? Here are a few tips to help you find the right realtor.

Conduct Interviews

It’s not enough to open the yellow pages and scan the listings of realtors there. Ideally, going to the realtor’s office is the best option, but you may not have the time to do this. Chances are there will be too many realtors for you to go visit, so you may choose to conduct an interview on the phone. Be prepared with a list of questions to ask, and expect frank and honest answers. It won’t take long for you to find out during the conversation whether the realtor is honest, or if they are simply a salesperson who evades your questions by giving you pat answers, or fluff.

Ask for References

A good realtor will be happy to give you the names of satisfied customers, in order to back up how trustworthy they will be for you. Sometimes, many people will find realtors on word of mouth alone. Happy customers will be delighted to talk to you about your potential realtor, and many times, this will arm you with the best information about the realtor you are considering.

Talk to the Broker

In some cases, talking opening with the broker about your realtor’s performance may give you clues as to how trustworthy your realtor might be. This may not always give you the best information, as the broker certainly wants your business in the same way the realtor does, but a broker who is willing to talk with you as a potential client may help you determine whether the company the realtor works for will be behind you all the way.

Look for Communication Skills

There is nothing more frustrating than a realtor who does not listen to your needs. If you tell the realtor that your maximum price you would pay for a home is $200,000, and the realtor continually shows you homes outside of your price range, chances are very good that your realtor isn’t concerned about your needs or what you can actually afford, but is more interested in how much commission they may earn off of your business with them. A realtor should remember how many children you have, and how many bedrooms you need, for example; and if you need an office, show you homes with ideal office space; if you have a dog, then the realtor should remember to find homes for you with a fenced in back yard, for instance. You should never have to continually remind your realtor what your needs are; if you are constantly reiterating your needs, then it could be indicative of your realtor either having too many clients, or not really interested in what your needs really are.

Express Your Needs

A realtor isn’t a mind reader, and it really is up to you to make sure your realtor knows exactly what you are looking for. If you are not sure what you are looking for, then it is in your best interest to find a realtor truly interested in narrowing down what you want. Ask questions. If you don’t know whether a school district in a particular area is a good one, for example, and you don’t have children, then it is the realtor’s job to help you understand that even though you might not be concerned about schools right now, there is a possibility in the future that it will be an issue. And while you cannot expect your realtor to read your mind, a good, trustworthy realtor can still anticipate your needs.

Above and Beyond the Call of Duty

Some realtors only perform the minimum tasks in order to help you find a home. A good, trustworthy realtor will go above and beyond the minimal duties. Do you need help finding a loan officer? Will your realtor locate one for you? Will your realtor be present at closing time in case you have any last minute questions? Will your realtor hand-deliver the title to the court on the same day you close? Will your realtor investigate any issues you may have with the home you want to purchase, like will real-estate taxes be included in your price, or will the appliances be included in the home purchase, or is the seller going to provide a home warranty? Some things may not occur to you now as a home buyer, but it should be in your realtor’s best interest to make sure they investigate any possible issues that may come up during the course of the negotiations.

The key to finding a trustworthy realtor is to ask questions, no matter how silly they might be to you. They should be familiar with school districts, utility company policies, which cable company is available to you, and other things that are not necessarily part of your home purchase, but it is these little things that make a realtor extraordinary, and one that you can trust to help you find the perfect home.

-By: G Beaty

G Beaty is a homebuilder and real estate broker for over 25 years. For free information on new home construction visit a Palm Coast Realtor.

www.favoriteproperties.com

It is shocking yet it happens every day. Realtors Lie to Consumers and Fail to Disclose and No One Holds them Accountable for their actions. No one can make a Realtor liable for their Lies. The Realtors are protected on so many levels.

Real Estate Consumers are hurt everyday at the Lies that Realtors tell them. Yes it is a cruel world and people lie sometimes, the thing is with members of the National Association of Realtors they Lie, They fail to Disclose and they are not held accountable by the So called “Higher Standard” umbrella of NAR that they work under.

No one hears the cries of the real estate consumer, sleepless night after sleepless night as they wonder if tomorrow will be a better day. If tomorrow they will find a way to get the Realtor to pay for the lies they told, or for what they did not disclose that has made it so that the real estate bought is un-sellable, dangerous to live in, worth less, or causing major damage to the structure.

Even if you have proof the Realtors lied, you have to fight for the Rights that Should be Basic in a Real Estate transaction. Having a Realtor in the Real Estate transaction actually provides more legal protection for the buyer to be cheated, lied to, mislead, and Not disclosed to. Without the Realtor, the buyer could sue the seller, and with proof maybe win – maybe not but it would be a more cut and dried situation.

If a Real Estate Agent is not a “Realtor”, a member of the National Association of Realtors or a Non-Franchise Real Estate Broker, then this too is better for the real estate consumer, because they will dig harder to make sure that what they are telling is actually true.

Why? They have more liability, non-Realtors do not have that Super Power of the National Association of Realtors, those who lobby for them, and the Giant Insurance Companies behind them.

The Top E and O insurances want, demand that you be a Realtor Member or they will not insure you. Why is this ? Well because “Realtor” members are of a Higher Standard. Not True, but hey it’s their motto so

The Realtor and the Previous Seller can act like “they did not know”. Even if they did it is hearsay right? However you, now know and it is right out there for all to see because you are seeking justice.

I have had Realtors, ask me if my client fixed a problem under the floor in the kitchen on a property that I had listed for sale. You see Their Client or Friend wants to know BEFORE they buy, what a novel concept right?

Well it just so happens that only 6 months prior to this “Foot in Mouth” call, my Client had bought this property with One of My “Realtors” as their buyers agent, and they did not disclose this “problem” to my client. Yes they found it, they fixed it, it was an issue of well I can’t sue the Realtor, I will lose and it will cost more to right so the owner fixed it. To find out later that the Realtor knew and admitted they knew was shocking.

He did so Boldly because, as a Century 21 Agent, he knew that there really was not way to touch him. Many times, this same agent had been “protected” by the Local Association of Realtors. He was and is a Broker Owner, A Realtor, and the local association gives him protection and special treatment. This is not unique to the area I am talking about. I have seen this in several state and several Realtor Associations.

C21, Coldwell Banker, Sotheby’s and ERA have even more protection because they are all owned by the same Corporation, and in this they have attorneys, insurance and mega-protection which means to you the real estate consumer, You Lose. Oh I know you were lied to and misled, I know that your Realtor failed to disclose, but you see we will keep you in court longer then your pocketbook, your life, your kids life, and your marriage can possibly stand.

The National Association of Realtors lobbies to make sure they have more rights then you. No one lobbies effectively for Consumers Rights in Real Estate because who has more money then the National Association of Realtors? And is willing to spend it fighting for the rights of the Real Estate Consumer in the Real World of Real Estate.

So, with this, the laws lean more and more every month – day – week to make it easier for the Realtor to lie, Mandatory E and O insurance is one of these horrible acts on the Real Estate Consumer. Making, the Real Estate Agent, by Law Protect themselves from the Real Estate Consumer.

Several times I have seen a Realtor put in writing that a buyer will have Lake Access, that the Seller currently has lake access and the buyer will have it once they buy.

The Realtor deliberately lies or just goes with what the seller says without proving it and in the end the buyer is left to fight for years to get justice or to get the lake access that they were told would “come with” the Sale. There is no consumer protection in real estate.

Whether Realtors lie deliberately or without really knowing the facts, either way they have No Liability. They can simply say they did not know and the laws protect them. They should have known, especially before they used “Lake Access” in their Marketing. But the Realtor knows they have No Real Liability and a whole lot of loopholes to get out of any financial Accountability so they don’t go ahead and Prove what the seller says, and provide no real proof to the

One Incident, I listed a 20 acre parcel, the Seller said that they had lake access, I believed them, however, I wanted proof in my file so I asked the Seller for the easement or documents that proved they had lake access. You won’t believe the documentation that they had, they had a buy sell agreement, whereby the Seller and the Realtor wrote in that their was lake access. The buyer thought that if it was on the buy sell then it was true, they really had Lake Access. It does not matter what the Buy Sell says, yes it is a legal binding contract, but after you sign the closing papers, ( and the title company will Not prove anything on the buy sell), anyway after you sign then it is what it is. You have to make all parties prove what they promised or offered you in the Buy Sell before you sign the closing papers. The buyer thinks that the real estate buy sell is a binding contract.

It is in the sense that if the buyer and seller signs and one tries to back out you can take a few years out of your life and Sue for “Specific Performance” to hold the buyer or the seller to the contract, should they want out for any reason. However, the buy sell is not legally binding automatically, in any way, you have to fight for your right to actually have what the buy sell agreement promised that you should or could have.

In this Situation the Seller, who use to be the buyer, also had the original ads that the Realtor put out claiming that their was lake access. Turned Out they had no lake access and would never get it because the lake was fed by an irrigation ditch and had a turbine in it, they did not want anyone on it.

The Realtor, the Seller can promise the moon, they can be lying or really believe what they are saying, either way You Need to Prove it Before You Sign.

Peoples Lives are Ruined by Realtors that Are Not held Accountable for the lies that they knowingly or unknowingly tell.

The Insurance that Realtors have will Beat the Real Estate Consumer pretty much every time, even in the biggest most proven cases of fraud.

Realtors are Bound by Law they have to “Investigate” complaints, they have to listen to the real estate consumer and do the right thing.

This is Bull on every level. The Director at the Association of Realtors encourages (makes, misleads, denies) the “Realtor” members to not file a complaint, she Flat Out Denies them Due Process. She also does this when the Real Estate Consumer calls her for help. She suggests a real estate attorney and so begins the Diary of A Lawsuit. Years of your life, no help what so ever from the Realtor or the Realtor Association that got you into the mess in the first place. They go on to other “Victims” I mean real estate consumers, they continue sleeping well at night and making money. While the Consumer begins the lawsuit to fight for what the Realtor told them they had, or for the non-disclosure of a Realtor.

The Local Association of Realtors turns a Blind eye to the distress of the consumer, this includes a Realtor Member who becomes a Real Estate Consumer. Turning on their own, picking the Realtor with the Biggest Franchise Behind them.

This is the Cold Hard Fact of the Real World of the Real Estate Industry.

What do I hope to gain from all this blathering? Well not Justice that’s for sure. I hope to Stop you from go through what others have gone through. I hope to Stop you from what, I myself have seen and gone through personally.

I could just walk away, quite being a real estate broker, get a new carreer and move on quietly. But that is not my, I am Very good at real estate, however, I cannot stomach the total disregard for the Rights of the Real Estate Consumer before, during and after the real estate transaction. I cannot stomach the commercials, billboards and websites that claim that Realtors are of a Higher Standard and that they are the Voice of Real Estate. The National Association of Realtors need to be stripped of their trademark on “NAR is the Voice for Real Estate”. This is propaganda, this is a slogan, a way to pull in the unsuspecting prey, this could be new “Realtors” or the “Real Estate Consumer”. Come on over to NAR, we got your back, we are “…the Voice for Real Estate”, we constantly lobby against the consumer and there is nothing they can do about it. Join the National Association of Realtors and you to can be of a “Higher Standard”.

Ok, Lawsuit Time, Get Out Your Checkbook. Time to Pay the Real Estate Attorney, The Forensics Engineer, the Structural Engineer, the Mechanical Engineer, the CAD designer, the Architect, the Roofing Inspector and lots more “specialists”,

Why are Realtors able to just say whatever to make the Sale and not have to prove it? This is somthing that several Realtor Associations I have seen allows, condones,and even encourages, the Top agents get away with ruining your life, it is just the way it is.

-By: Crystal L. Cox

Crystal L. Cox
Broker Owner
Real Estate Industry Whistleblower

Crystal L. Cox is a Real Estate industry insider, dedicated to Consumer Protection in Real Estate. She is not out to change laws, to lobby congress or to fight the National Association of Realtors. Crystal L. Cox is bringing information directly to the real estate consumer in an effort to Expose the Real Estate Industry and to Protect the real estate consumer from the lack of accountability among the Realtors and to be One voice out here on the internet to counteract the constant lobbying of Washington Officials against the rights of the Real Estate Consumer. Crystal Believes that the Real Estate Industry is seriously broken and that there is no end in sight to the damage that NAR has done and will do to the real estate consumer and to the member of the National Association of Realtors who are doing right by their clients. NAR does not Stand up for their members who are lied to and deceived by fellow members. NAR does not stand up for the Real Estate Consumer and there is NOT one reason to use a Realtor in your Real Estate Transaction. In Fact, using a Realtor can ensure your Lack of Protection and accountability in your real estate transaction.

Crystal L. Cox is passionate about you not being hurt by the severe flaws of the real estate industry.

I’m sure you’ve heard many arguments whether or not a Realtor is better at selling your home than you are. Every Realtor, without fail, will tell you that they can sell your home faster and for more money than you can. They will even have statistics to prove their point. On the flip-side, almost every “For Sale By Owner” site on the web will tell you the opposite. So who do you believe when both parties are self-serving?

Being a Realtor with a working team and also the CEO of a For Sale By Owner website, I will attempt to take an unbiased approach to this argument and cover the pros and cons of each stance. There are 4 points that a Realtor will base their arguments on and so I think it is only fair to address each of these points.

4 Points Or “Arguments” A Realtor Will Make

1. A Realtor can price your home more accurately.

2. A Realtor can negotiate the deal better than you can.

3. A Realtor can sell your home for more money.

4. A Realtor can sell your home faster.

So let’s ask each question and talk about the real answers. For the sake of this discussion, let’s first assume that the Realtor we are talking about here is an experienced agent that sells more than 12 homes per year. Why is that important? Because over 80 percent of Realtors sell 3 or fewer homes per year and cannot truly make any of the arguments listed above. How can they? The agents that only sell 3 homes per year have to relearn the business on almost every deal. This is true across the industry. There are too many “part-timers” for these arguments to be a blanket statement for every Realtor.

CAN A REALTOR PRICE YOUR HOME MORE ACCURATELY THAN YOU CAN?

Up until a few years ago, the answer was most definitely “Yes” but that has recently changed. Let’s compare.

Realtor

It is true that, on average, Realtors price homes more accurately than a FSBO seller will. Realtors have resources available to them to see all of the recent sales in any given neighborhood. They can also see all of the available homes currently on the market. By analyzing this data, they can make a fairly accurate prediction of what a home should sell for and even how quickly it should sell.

Seller – For Sale By Owner

Most sellers price their home based on what they “think” their home should be worth. Their pricing is based on very little accurate data other than what other homes are currently priced at that are still on the market. No Realtor would ever… or rather, should never base a price on what is for sale but rather what has sold. With today’s technology and the resources on the web, a seller can spend as little as $16.95 and get the same information that a Realtor uses. Now for the tricky part… forget any notion that your home is better than any other seller’s home. Use this report and base your price on hard data and you can price your home as accurately as a Realtor.

Winner – It’s a Tie … if FSBO sellers use the data available to them and take an unbiased approach in pricing their property.

CAN A REALTOR NEGOTIATE A BETTER DEAL THAN YOU CAN?

There is more to negotiating than just the price. With that being said, let’s compare.

Realtor

There is no substitute for experience when it comes to negotiations. As I said before, there is more to negotiations that just price, there are repairs, time-frames and many other small details that become part of the negotiation. A Realtor has the ability to step back emotionally and really look at the deal in an unbiased way. They should be able to analyze the proposed price and use their data to support the selling price. Through experience, they can recognize which repairs make sense to accept, which ones can be settled with money and which repairs should be thrown out with supporting arguments as to why.

Seller – For Sale By Owner

It’s hard to compete with experience when you are negotiating a contract. It’s like playing cards. You get better the more you play. You learn when to hold fast, when to bluff and when to fold. This doesn’t mean that you can’t do it though. Here is where you have to weigh your options carefully. If you sell on your own and get the raw end of the deal on repairs or even lose a few thousand dollars on price because you didn’t have the data to support your argument, how much did you save by not using a Realtor? The average home seller saves $15,000 in commission when selling as For Sale By Owner. So if a Realtor could have saved you that $3,000 in the selling price and kept you from making that $2,000 in repairs, you are still ahead $10,000.

Winner – Realtor … but is stronger negotiation worth 6%?

CAN A REALTOR SELL YOUR HOME FOR MORE MONEY?

According to NAR (National Association of Realtors), “Sellers who use a real estate professional make 16 percent more on the sale of their home than do sellers who go it alone”. Is this true? Let’s compare and see.

Realtor

We talked about accurate pricing earlier. Accurate pricing in the beginning is key to getting the most money for your home in the end. Realtors have the data available to them to accurately price a home in the beginning. It should be a safe assumption that, on average, Realtors can in fact sell your home for more.

Seller – For Sale By Owner

As I mentioned earlier, FSBO sellers now have the same data available to them to price their home accurately. Accurate pricing is key to getting the most money for your home. It has been proven that if you price your home even 10% above true market value, you will only reach 30% of the potential buyers for your home. The longer your home sits on the market, the more inclined buyers will be to get aggressive with their negotiating in the belief that you are getting desperate. If you price 15% below market value, you will reach 90% of potential buyers but once again, buyers will think you are desperate to sell quickly and become more aggressive in negotiating on the price even lower.

So where does the 16% figure come from? The statistics that back this figure up, though incomplete at best, stem from past FSBO sellers using their gut feelings to price their home or simply listing in the local paper.

Winner – It’s a Tie … again, only if FSBO sellers use the data available to them and take an unbiased approach in pricing their property.

CAN A REALTOR SELL YOUR HOME FASTER?

Let’s hear their arguments and then compare.

Realtor

When you ask a Realtor how they can sell your home faster, their response is almost always “accurate pricing equals a faster sale” and “we offer greater marketing” or “greater exposure for your home” to drive more interested buyers. We have already answered the issue on pricing so let’s move on to the “greater exposure” claim. A Realtor has one main marketing avenue. I am talking about their local MLS of course. The MLS feeds the Realtor’s listings out to Realtor.com which is the largest real estate website in the world with over 5 million unique visitors per month. Only a Realtor can list a home on the MLS. They may also talk about magazine and radio ads but any honest Realtor will tell you that these are really there to advertise their brokerage and drive leads for their buyers agents. Very few Realtors submit your home to additional real estate sites, usually due to lack of know-how.

Seller – For Sale By Owner

How does a seller compete with Realtor.com? It is the largest real estate site on the planet after all. Thanks to the new technology available today, a few (not all) “for sale by owner” websites will syndicate your listing out to multiple real estate classified sites. The combined site visitor reach of these sites can be well over 12 million unique visitors per month. That’s a lot more than 5 million. I am by no means discounting Realtor.com. In fact, I think it would be very smart to ensure your home is also listed on Realtor.com. So if Realtor.com and the MLS is only for Realtors, how can you list your home there? A few Realtors (very few) offer a flat-fee MLS listing. For anywhere between $299 and $499, a Realtor will list your home on the local MLS and Realtor.com. You will still be responsible for paying a buyer’s agent 2% to 3% if they bring the buyer but that still saves you 3% to 4% in commissions. On a few FSBO Websites, you can get the great exposure of your local MLS and Realtor.com through a “Flat-Fee MLS plan”. Plus, you can still reserve the right to sell “For Sale By Owner.”

One important detail to consider here is the fact that a Realtor’s service is free to buyers. Because these services are free, they would be foolish not to employ a Realtor. Realtors will NOT show a FSBO home unless they know they will get paid a commission. Plus, the MLS is the only place most Realtors conduct a home search for their clients. It would behoove you to list on the MLS if you are not seeing immediate success selling without the MLS.

Winner – Tie in regards to traffic and exposure … comparing a Realtor to FSBO without MLS exposure.

Winner – For Sale By Owner Seller … comparing a Realtor to FSBO with Flat-Fee MLS option.

VERDICT

So what does this all mean? It means that times are changing. There are enough resources available to you, the “For Sale By Owner” home seller to allow you to sell successfully, quickly and for top dollar. There are times when the need for a Realtor are real and necessary. Their expertise, experience and dedication to help ease your stress during these potentially difficult times can be worth every penny you pay. If you have the money and the ability to enlist the aide of a Realtor, then I feel confident in saying that you will not be sorry. However, if money is tight or you have the time to educate yourself on real estate, then you will be greatly rewarded. Good luck!

-By: Joshua Harley

Josh Harley is the CEO of FSBOmarketplace.com, a “For Sale By Owner” site dedicated assisting in the buying and selling of real estate as FSBO or “By Owner” where sellers can list their home for free and buyers can search for homes via a map-based home search.